Circular knitting machine



Jan. 6, 1942. J. 5. PRESTON 2,269,398

' I CIRCULAR KN'ITTING MACHINE Filed Oct; 14, 1938 5 S heets-She et 1 Jan. 6, 1942. .1. s. PRESTON 8 CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 14, 1958 5 SheetsSheet 2 M INVEW Jan. 6, 1942. J. 5. PRESTON CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 14, 1958 .5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTOR E S ,1942- J. s. PRESTON CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 14, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVE TOR 3mm ATTORNEYS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IOIa J. S. PRESTON CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE INVENTZR ATTORNEYS Jan. 6, 1942.

Patented Jan. 6, 1942 I Y TED STATE 5 PATEN T OFF ic E 2,269,398 CIRCULAR KNITTlNG MACHINE J. Stanley Preston, .Bronxville, N. Y., assignor to Jacquard Knitting Machine .Co.,Inc.. Phila delphia, Pa e. corporation of New York 7 Application October 14, 1938,1Serial NIL 234,882

' 11 Claims.

My invention relatesito circularknitting machinesin which the needle bank or banks rotate.

Heretofore various forms of mechanisms operating under the direction of patterns of paper orother thin sheet like'materials, have been'devised to control the operations of eachzstitchforming element of a circular bank in-knitting machines .of the kind in which the needle :bank orbanks (andthe banktof controlled stitch-forming elements) .is stationary. vAs a result it has been possible to knit fabrics having complex structures, designs and fancy effects, "and :structures :and designs of large repeats, worked out with :variouskindsof stitching, on machines .of

.thest'ationary needlebe'd type. :Heretofore howof controlling the operations of strictly'individual stitch-forming-elemehts however, the operations of individual-sets of smallinumbers of adjacent stitch-forming elements may be controlled 'by my invention, as will be understood from the practices withstati'onarybed machines.

.-'As' will Lbeapparent accordingly, my invention is applicable *to "machines in' which the bank of controlled stitch-forming elements has the form of a :cylinder or the "form of aflat annulus ordial,

andtto machines having both dial and cylinder (once-so) illustrated Lin'the accompanying drawings, which show an eight-feed irotary' cylinder machine whereinsliding latch needles are caused-to take or 'omit taldng.;.yarn.as and where desire'd under the control of a-pattern of paper or'the like, so that (yarns of various colors .being supplied at different'feeds) a-fa'bri'c can be knitted in part of one color and inpart of-another color or colors as the "desired design maycall for. In those drawings:

' :Fig. 1".is aplan'view of the machine, substantially all of the associated and-accessory parts ordinarily employed with such machines being om'ittedsfromthedrawing:for clarity of illustration however, that is *to say, substantially only thoserparts directly concerned with my invention being shown; Fig. '2is a sectional view-on the line "IL-II .of 'Fig. 1; Fi-g;';3 isan elevation, partly in section, of oneof-the pattern-sections of Fig. 1 and substantially' on the line-II-I- I-II of Fig. 6; 4 is a sectional plan view-substantially on the Iin'eIV- -IV-QfFi-g. 3; Fig. "5- is an end view. looking outwardly from the cylinder, illustrating particularlythe arrangement of the couplers of each pattern-section; 'Figqfi is a sectional view substantially on the nnevI-vI-or Fig.3; Fig. 7

banks. Itwill also'be'apparentfrom' the practices with knitting rmachines, and especially from the practices with stationary bed machines, "that my invention is applicable to, and that within the term stitch-forming elements I-refer to;needles,

sinkers, presse'rs, Wale-thread feeders, stitchtransferring members, and in general all" kinds of knitting machine instruments-arranged in banks of a considerable-numberof instrumentsper-bank and the-control of which will control 'theproduction of substantiallyindividual stitches-and thus result in the production-pf pattern or fancy work and variations in the knitted structure.

The general nature of my invention canbest j ous parts, like the remainder of the mechanism is a plan view-ofaportionof the cam plate 'connected to the needle cylinder, part of the cylinder 'b'eingshown in sectionyand'Figr 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the relation between-the cams, needles andrassociated mechanisms of the machine of Fig.1. p I

In 3 the machine illustrated, 1 the needle cylinder l 'ca'rries' sliding latch needles-2 in external slots aswill be understood. The cylinder 1 is mounted for rotationon the stationarybaise 3. 'A stationary cam cylinder-.4=encircles the needle cylinder l to *support'various of'the cams for-operating the needles 2 and-their associated jacks; the cam cylinder" 4 'is-mounted' ona horizontal extension 5iwhich rests on side walls '6 ofrthe various sections of the patterrrmechanismllater described,

and these side wallsare mountedon a cover plate I of the .m-achine--base as illustrated in Fig. 2. An annularcextension 8 from the needle cylinder 1 'is provided at its outer edge with gear-teeth; 9 meshing with a power-driven gearwheel In (Fig.

1) ,which rotates the needle cylinder continuously in the direction shown by the. arrow H in Figs. 4 7 and 8. It will be-underst0od that'these variillustrated, are subject to considerablemodification inform and arrangement. It will be understood also that the needles .2are representative bepointed outafter-I have described the machine 55 of the class of stitch forming elements-to which includes a stationary cam IE to project (i. e.,

here raise) the needles to take the yarns into their hooks, a stationary guide I! to lead yarn to the needles raised by its associated cam [6 as will be understood, and a stationary cam 18 for purposes later described. The yarn guides may be mounted on any convenient stationary part of the machine; the raising cams l6 and their associated cams l8 (Fig. 8) are mounted on the inner periphery of the cover plate 1 (Figs. '2 and 3). Each jack I5 is provided with a butt [9 at its lower end for engagement with the cams l8, and also for engagement with the cams I6 when permitted by the pattern or patterns; therethrough the cams l6 raise the jacks and therewith the respective needles; the butts 19 are all located the same distance from the lower ends of the various jacks. The cams l6 may raise the needles high enough to take yarn from the yarn guides l1, and even high enough to thrust the latches of the needles through the loops of yarn previously drawn by and hanging on the needles, that is to say, high enough to'clear the loops below the needle latches. In the alternative, the raising cams IE or some of them may raise the needles only high enough to place the butts of the needles 2 above a respectively associated stationary cam (say cam 20, and say one for each feed, Fig. 8) which is so placed as to i raise to yarn taking position or to clearing position any needle landing on it; for example, the cams I6 may raise the needles high enough to take yarn but without clearing while the associated cams 20 raise the needles landed on them to clearing position, so that tuck stitches can be made by the cams [6 by omitting some of the cams 20 or taking some of them out of action temporarily, or knit stitches can be made by using the cams 20. Stationary stitch cams 2|, one in each feed, engage the needle butts to retract the raised needles to draw new loops of the yarns and cast off the old loops, as will be understood. In acting on the needles, the stitch cams 2i may return the jacks Hi to their lowermost positions, but preferably I use cams 22, one for each feed, to act directly on butts 23 of the jacks l5 to retract the latter slightly in advance of the retraction of the respective needles; the butts 23 are located at equal distances from the lower ends of the jacks. The needle cams 2B and 2| and the jack-returning cams 22, may be mounted on the interior of the cam cylinder 4.

In order to make the needles take yarn from the various yarn guides I1 selectively as desired, I control the raising of the needles by the cams I6 by means of a pattern element or pattern elements located in, say, fixed positions; that is to say, the pattern element or pattern elements do not rotate with the bank of stitchforming elements it or they control. To this end the slots in the needle cylinder l in which the jacks l5 lie are made so deep (horizontally) that when the lower ends of the jacks l5 are pushed toward the backs of the slots their butts l9 pass behind the cams 16 as the cylinder rotates, rather than over those cams (Fig. 2) obviously when any jack thus misses any raising cam IS the respective needle remains down and accordingly does not take yarn from the yarn guide related to that cam 16. The mechanism or devices which hold the jacks 15 in their slots, for example a spring or spring 24 encircling the needle cylinder I, may be so arranged that this mechanism permits the jacks l5 to stand in any position in their slots, forward or back, in which they may be placed; if necessary or desirable, means can be provided to assure the jacks remaining properly in their assigned positions, either by frictional engagement with their slot walls or otherwise. To return to the cam paths any butts l9 that have been placed back of a cam [6, the lower end of each jack slot is bevelled or cammed as at 25 (Figs. 2 and 3) so that as a jack-retracting cam (e. g. one of the cams 22) thrusts the jacks to the lower end of their slots, thelower ends of all backwardly-plaoed jacks are moved outwardly sufliciently to return their butts [9 to positions where they can engage the raising cams; sufficient space is left at 26 (Fig. 8) between each raising cam I6 and the end of the cam l8 of the following feed topermit the butts IQ of the jacks to move outwardly to the necessary extent without interference. To the rear of each space 26 as the needle cylinder rotates, a cam 28 (or inclined end of the adjacent supplemental cam l8) serves to engage underneath the butts IQ of all jacks as they leave these respective spaces and raise the jacks sufiiciently to place their lower ends above the bevelled or cammed surfaces 25, but not, ordinarily, high enough to affect the operation of their needles. Thus in advance of each raising cam l6 each jack assumes a position where it can be thrust to the back of its slot so as to escape engagement with the respective raising cam; if it is left in this position it passes over the respective raising cam and raises its needle, and if it is thrust back itescapes that raising cam and leaves its needle down, but subsequently is thrust outwardly again in time to engage the raising cam it of the feed which follows. As may now be pointed out, the pattern or patterns and associated mechanism act to thrust jacks to the backs of their slots in the interval between a cam 28 and the raising cam l6 of the same feed, and may act thus in advance of any or'all the raising cams, i. e. at each feed. The extension or supplemental cams l8 are simply to prevent the jacks l5 from moving downwardly inadvertently while inthe intervals or control spaces between 28 and i5, and their actions may be supplemented by corresponding opposing cams 21 (Fig. 8) acting on the jack butts 23 to prevent the jacks creeping upwardly. The minimum length of each control space (that is to say, the distance between each initial-raising cam 28 and the needle-projecting 16 to the rear of it in each feed whereat the needle action is to be controlled), is determined by the time required to make new pattern calls, as will be understood from what follows.

In order to permit the various jacks l5 to be pushed to the backs of their slots individually, e. g. each independently of its adjacent jacks, by, say, individual devices mounted in fixed (e. g. non-rotating) position outside the cylinder, the jacks (or at least the jacks of such needles as are to be controlled), are differentiated from each other by lots of succeeding jacks; the differentiation may be by any manner that permits the accuses jacks :to be controlled i'individually by devizces outside the cylinder. The number-of :a'dja'cent jacks (and thereby needles) :inea-chlot maybe fixed by constructional considerations, butiother than this the number ofdifferentiated jacks'will be fixed, speaking generally, by thesnumber of couplers that can be controlled readily by one pattern or pattern section, as will appear hereafter. Generally also, all controlled lots of needles and jacks will include equal numbers-of differentiated jacks, although that is not entirely necessary. :In the .machine illustrated (Fig.8), each lot contains thirty-sixsuccessive=jacks,-one lot including all the jacks from 15*- to l.5 ,-'the adjacent lot the jacks tfrom lzto and "the jack @115 is .the first of the next lot;-the jacks-of the'wholelbank of needles-2 may be composed of such lots as these, or only :the jacks of 'such neebutts .30 are placed at successively higher positions, i. e, successively farther from the lower ends of the jacks (Fig. 8) ,:so that if 'the jacks' oi .a lot were placed with theirlower ends in a single line, their control butts .30 would lie in e. zsingle continuous diagonal line reaching, say, from near the lower righthand corner of the lot to near'the upper lefthand corner of the lot. suchdiagonal placement of the control butts 30 is substantially shown in the lot I 5--I"5 of Fig. 8 where none of the jacks are shown as being'raisedlbya cam'l 6 at-the moment; it will beobserved however that certain cams acting on the lot I5-l-5 have so displaced some of these jacks that their butts do not appear-in a strict diagonal. Further, each control butt 30 is placed distinctly higher than the one below it, so that a memberoutside the cylinder can engage any one of thesebuttswithout engagin another also. Preferably all the lots are differentiated alike; that is to say, "for example, if the jacks and needles of one lot are I 'difierentiated'by a leftdownwardly-to the-right diagonal placement of control butts, then preferably the needles of each and everyother lot 'aredifierentiated by a similar placemen't'of their control butts, and the control butts of the first jacks of all the lots are at equal distances from their butts IS, the control butts of the second jacks of all the lots are at equal distancesfrom the butts I9 of those second jacks, and soon;

differentiation of all the lots alike is not neces- Pattern mechanism, outside the cylinder, may

direct the action on the control butts 30-"to-thus displace the raising butts I9at eac-h'fee'd whereat the knitting is to be controlled; accordingly the knitting can be controlled at every needle in every feed. In the present machine a pattem mechanismor pattern mechanism section is pro-- vided for every feed to this end. As appears ':in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, each of the eight pattern mech- 'anisms or pattern mechanism-"sectionsillustrated .is constructed and operatediin accordance with ill are provided :;in the periphery of the drum. A

belt... ofpaperor the like on each drum constitutestthepattern, or more properly speaking :perhaps, each of the .eightconstitutes a section of .the pattern, considering the set of eight as a whole. These patterns 36 are perforated inaccordance with the design to be knitted, each being perforated mama-me stitching of the feed to :which itzis related, and the pattern perforations or each being arranged in substantially transverse "rows;';each :row is so placed that it falls .on :one 'of the slots of its drum as the drum rotates :to .advance'the pattern belt .36 .on it. ISide "perforations in the belt enteredby pro- J'ections 31 on :thetwo'ends of each .drum'assure,

the pattern for its perforations, are arranged in arow aabovexeach'pattern drum 34; there are as many "feelers 38iforea'ch pattern section as there are nifierentiationsof jacks l5 (and accordingly difierentiations of'needles' 2) in-each lot li -I5 ':l:5- l'5 etc., assuming that eachneedle or each set of a small number of adjacent needles "is to be controlled individually. In the present .instance, each feeler comprises: a substantially horizontal bar "providedwitha downwardly projecting .finger 39, immediately at the .place where each zdrum slot 315 comes to rest, and each is hinged :on a cross bar 40; the pattern perforations in:the pattern :35 are disposed .forpresentaonits upperedgexfor engagementby a horizontally .reciprocatingram 43 carried by cross heads '44 :sl idingziniholes piercing the'twoside plates 6 of ithe patternfsection. The butts" of all feel- .ers 1whoseifingers-39 rest on imperforate parts of theipattern '36, stand in the path of the ram 43;

. butthe butts :42 "3,1B'Of such height that when a positions :again by .mechanism later described.

.Th'eside plates 6 of each pattern mechanism or pattern mechanism section are mounted on the base cover plate 1- as beiore mentioned (Figs. 2 and 13 that :isztosay in a fixed position;

Couplers transmit the calls of the patterns or pattern sections to the needle bank. Conveniently, these couplers are assembled in groups, and there is one group for each controlled feed, and each is directed by one of the pattern mechanisms, as in the machine illustrated. In such arrangements there may be as many couplers in each group as there are differentiated needles in each lot, and, also, the number of couplers in each group may equal the number of feelers in its pattern mechanism. Each coupler comprises a sliding member 49; its outer end is located adjacent the inner end of one of the feelers 38 (Figs. 3 and 4); its inner end 5| is inclined or cammed in such a direction (Fig. 4) that if it is struck by one of the control butts 30 of a jack l5 as the bank rotates, it will thrust that jack to the back of its slot and thus place the raising butt l9 of that jack out of the reach of a raising cam "3 as before mentioned. The cam ends 5| of each group of couplers are assembled at the control station (e. g. between cams |8, 21; see Fig. 8) of the feed it serves, and are disposed at successively higher levels and respectively at the same heights as the control butts 3|] of the differentiated jacks l5, when these jacks are at the control station; that is to say, the highest end 5| of each group is placed at the level of the path through its control station of those control butts 30 which are farthest removed from the lower ends of the jacks, the next highest end 5| of the group is placed at the level of the path through its control station of those control butts 30 which are one step nearer the lower ends of the jacks, and so on, the lowest end 5| of the 1 group being at the level of the path of those control butts 30 which are nearest the lower ends of the jacks (Fig. 8). Also, the sliding of each coupler moves it between a position where its end 5| is so close to the cylinder I that it will be struck by a butt 3|] allocated to it as that butt passes through its control station, and a position sufficiently remote from the cylinder to permit its butts 30 to pass. it without striking (Figs. 2 and 4). Intervals are provided during which no coupler of a given group is acting on a jack, and in these intervals the couplers of that group are newly positioned as the pattern may call for; Such intervals may be provided, for example, by providing in each jack lot a few adjacent jacks having no control butts 30, but in order to control every stitch I preferably so dispose the coupler ends 5| of each group in its control space that each group acts on the jacks and needles, to

make its control manifest, at a rate that is higher (more per unit of time) than the rate at which the raising cam I6 of the same feed can act on jacks and needles; that is to say, the assembly of the coupler ends 5| of each group is such that, although one of the coupler ends 5| can act on the first jack of each jack lot (e. g. act on jack |5*-) before the last jack of the same jack lot (e. g. jack |5 arrives at the position of the coupler end provided to act on the latter, all the control butts 30 of a jack lot can be engaged by a coupler group in less time than the jack lot can pass over the top of one of the raising cams I6. This difference in rates produces intervals in which the couplers must rest from acting on the rotating bank, and during such intervals the couplers of the respective group can be reset in accordance with a new pattern call. The disposition to obtain this higher rate of coupler control can be obtained by, generally speaking, so placing the coupler ends that as the bank rotates the control butt 30 of the last jack of each jack lot (e. g., jack I5") leaves the position of the coupler provided to engage it a little time before the first jack of the next lot (e. g., jack 5) arrives opposite the coupler that is provided to engage such first jack. For example, if the control butts 30 of the jacks are arranged in substantially diagonal lines as before described, then each group of coupler ends 5| can be arranged more or less diagonally also, inclined in the same general direction, but at a steeper angle (and also all within the control space, e. g. between the two ends of the associated cam extension l8). A'strictly diagonal arrangement of the coupler ends is not necessary however (when the disposition of the control butts 30 is diagonal), but any arrangement that sufilciently approximates the diagonal to secure the desired interval may be used, and a convenient arrangement is in two vertical assemblies of adjacent ends (Figs. 5 and 8), the assembly containing the coupler which acts on the first jack of each lot (here the top coupler) being placed at that end of the control space which is adjacent the raising cam is of the same feed and the assembly which contains the coupler which acts on the last jack of the jack lot (here the bottom coupler) being placed near the opposite end of the control space (Fig. 8). As an example of the intervals provided by such an arrangement of the coupler ends 5| of each group, it will be observed at the left side of Fig. 8 that all the jacks I5 of the jack-lot |5* --|5 excepting the last jack I5 have departed from their respective coupler ends 5| of the lefthand group and all the jacks of this lot have been subjected to the control of this coupler group; however, the first jack I5 of the next jack lot |5|5 is still seven needles away from engagement with the coupler allocated to it in this lefthand couplergroup. In other words, the left-hand coupler group of thi Fig. 8 having completed its action in controllin the jacks (and needles) of lot |5 |5 must wait an interval corresponding to the time taken for seven needles to pass a given point before beginning its control action on the succeeding jack lot |5--| 5 An interval may be lengthened or shortened by lengthening or shortening the length of the control space (e. g., lengthening or shortening the space between an initial-raising or placing cam 28 and the raising cam l6 which follows it) and correspondingly increasing or decreasing the separation between the two assemblies of the ends 5| of the coupler group acting at that space. Generally speaking, the minimum length of a control space is determined by the length of time required to bring each new pattern call to a. rotating bank as will become clear.

As before mentioned, the sliding of the couplers 49, individually, places their ends 5| in their two possible positions (Fig. 4). The inward movements of the couplers of any group to the jack-engaging positions, are caused by the adjacent feeler ram 43; as this ram moves toward the needle cylinder it engages the butts 42 of such of the feelers 38 as are held in their upper positions by imperforate portions of the associated pattern 36 and thereby pushes those feelers inwardly, and those feelers push ahead of them the couplers 49 allocated to them respectively; The couplers are returned to their.

outer or non-active positions by an upstanding butt 54 on each coupler and a ram 55 sliding horizontally in cross-heads in the side wall 6 of each pattern section (Figs. 3 and 4). In the aacasee present instance the coupler ends l ofeachcoupler group are supported individually, immedii ately outside the needle cylinder, by" a slotted frame or frames 56 (Figs. 3, 4 and 5). The couplers: 49 are bent as necessary (Figs. 3,4 and-5) to permit the outer ends of each group to'lie in arow at a pattern section (Fig. 4) and the. inner ends'lil of each group to'lie in these frames 56 and the two" assemblies described (Figs. 4 S and 3). in their inner or butt-engaging positions to a's-- sure these ends remaining in the inner positions against the thrust of the control butts of. the jacks on them, as by providingeach end 5| with a slot 51 and providing a vertical bar 58 at each assembly to stand in the notches 51 of those coupler ends 5| which are in'their' inner or butt-engaging positions. At its two ends'each vertical bar 58 is mounted in brackets 59'which are keyed to a rotatable shaft 60 carried in fixed bearings supported by the machine b-ase (Figs. 3 and 4); links 61 and a-connecting member 62 (Figs. 3, 4 and-6) swing the two bars 58 of each coupler group into and out of locking positions. By inclining the walls of the slots 51 as'shown in Fig. 4, the locking bars 58 act also to position the coupler ends 5| accurately at their butt-engaging positions,

The various parts so far described are to op- As will ap- 3'6 the slide 84 of each controlled feed prior-to the crate in particular time relations; pear, the form and nature of the devices and mechanisms by which the parts so far described" are operated (like, in fact, a great many of the constructional details so far described) consti tute no part of this invention whatsoever, andi 3'5 ferentiated, each camming portion 88 may be various. kinds of devices and mechanisms can be used for the purpose. In order however thatthe timing maybe made entirely clear, I shall describe the operating arrangements employed in- Preferably I lock the coupler ends 5t 10 steps.

row of: feelerufi'ngers, and finally restores the cross bar 66 to its: inactiveposition asshown, thus permitting the feeler fingers to feel the new call v of the pattern. A. spring pressed 5- plunger 89' and coacting. toothed wheel 16 attached to one end of th'e'drum' shaft 33 assureseach groove being brought directly underneath therowofife'eler fin'ger's 39 and the drum 34 being held: stationary between such forward Each cross-head 12 is reciprocated by'an angled lever 83 hinged by a' bracketto the stationary cover plate 1 of the machine base, areciprocating slide 84 having a socket into which one endof lever 83: extends (Figs. 3 and 6) and 1 3 which isheldto the top of" the cover plate 1 by housing 85', and a pin' 86 projecting downwardly from the slide'84'through a slotifl' in the cover plate into a cam V groove 88 provi'cled in or 'on the horizontal extension 8- of the rotary needle cyl-"- 2 5 inder l (Figs. 6, 7 and- 8).. This groove 88 is 5: there areas many of these'camming' portions as there are lots of differentiated needles, one being allocated to the'needle and jack lot l'5 'l5 another to the needle and jack lot |5-I5 and so on, and each is so located as to reciprocate time the needle-and-jack lotit serves reaches the. group of coupler ends 5| of the respective feed; when,' for example, substantially all the stitch-forming elements of the bankJare difso placed as to reciprocate a slide 84 to bring up a new pattern call for its. needle-and jack lot (6. g; |5'|5 while the preceding needleand-jack lot (e. g. H -I5 is passing overand' the machine illustrated. A cross bar 66 at each thereby is being subjected to the control of the pattern mechanism (Figs. 3 and 4) serves to'lift those feelers 38 of the respective mechanism which find perforations in their pattern 36 and fall into a drum slot 35, in order that the' drum group of coupler ends which will act next on the' jack-and-needle lot (I5l5 served by that camming portion. Each connecting-member 62 of a'pair of lock-bars 58 is operated to swing and pattern 36 may be advanced to make new those look bars by alink' 99, a lever 9l' concalls, and also returns outwardly such of the feelersas have been thrust inwardly by the fe'eler ram 48. The bar 66 extends through arcuate s1ots61 in the side walls 6 of its pattern nected to the" opposite end of the link and hinged at 92 to theupper surface of the cover plate 1, and apin 93 extending from theopposite end of the lever through a slot 94 in the" mechanism, and at each end is carried by an- 51? cover plate into a cam groove 95 in extension 8' angled-slot H in a cross-head 12 sliding in a I from the rotating needle cylinder I (Figs.- 6, 7

and '8) ;cam offsets 95 in this groove (one offset for each lot of differentiated needles) act on the pin or pins 93 to swing the levers SH' and guideway 13 fastened to the outer surface'of one 5'5- thereby the vertical lock bars 58. Each camoffof the side plates 6 of its pattern mechanism. Also a ratchet wheel 15 is fastened to one end of the shaft 33 to which the associated pattern drum 34 is keyed and an arm 11 provided-with set 95 is so located as' to swing to their. unlocking positions-the pair of bars 58 associated with the groupof coupler ends 51 which the" needle-and-jacklot allocated to the respective a spring pressed pawl 18 to engage with the 6' cam offset is approaching, after the preceding ratchet 15, is hung loosely on the same endof each shaft and connected to a-lever 'IS hin'gecl to the side plate 6 and provided with a pin 8-! riding in an angled slot 82 in the cross-head. 12

heedle-and-jack lot leaves that group of couplers', and return those look bars'totheir look-- ing' positionsjust' before therespective needle-' and-jack lot-reaches that group of couplers; be-

The slots H and 82 are so proportioned and tweenthese two times the cam offset 95 holds angled that each upward and return reciprocation of the cross-head 12 first swings its cross bar 66 outwardly, thus raising any of its-associated feelers that have fallen on the previousthose look bars in unlocked positions; Each coupler ram 55 is operated by links 96 at its two ends, two arms 91connected to thetwo links and'keyed to-a shaft 98' carriedin the two side call (raising them sufficiently to remove their walls 6 of its pattern mechanism, andv an arm fingers from the pattern perforations), and also returning outwardly the feelers 38-" that have" been moved inwardly'by the ram 43, and then" advancesthe'pattern drum tobring another slot 99'' (between the side plates) which also is keyed tothe shaft98 and extends through aslot I96:

in the cover plate 1 into" a cam groove I91 mthe" annular extension 8 fromthe needle cylinder' 35 and another call" of the pattern below the- (Figs; 3-, 6, 7 ends): cam'pflsets. [(H this;

groove (one for each lot of differentiated nee-' dles) swing the respective arms 99 and 91 and thereby reciprocate their ram 55. Each offset lilI is so located as to move a (and each) ram 55 outwardly to return the couplers 49 to their outer or non-active positions, and immediately returnthe ram to its inner position (Figs. 3 and 4), immediately after the lock bars 58 of the coupler group with which it is associated has swung to unlocking position. Each feeler ram 43 is operated by links I03 coupled to swinging arms I04, one at the outside of each side plate 6 of its pattern section, and which are keyed to a cross shaft I05 mounted in the side plates 6, and an arm I06 (between the side plates) which extends through a slot I01 in the cover plate I and thence into a cam groove I08 in the annular extension 8 from the needle cylinder (Figs. 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8); cam offsets I08 in this groove (one for each lot of differentiated needles) swing the arm I06 (and each of them) to move the respective feeler ram 43 inwardly (toward the needle cylinder) as the associated coupler ram 55 is moved inwardly, or immediately thereafter, and restore the feeler ram 43 to its outer position (Figs. 3 and 4) before its associated feelers 38 are next raised by the action of the cam groove 88. The ram 43 in moving inwardly, passes above those of its feelers 38 that have found pattern perforations, but pushes ahead of it the remaining feelers and their respectively associated couplers, thereby transmitting the call of the pattern section 36 to the couplers 49 and positioning the latter for action on the rotating bank as directed by the pattern, as before described.

Primarily the operation at each pattern mechanism and group of couplers is, therefore, as follows, referring to Fig. 8: In the position of the parts as shown in that figure, the pattern element 36 serving the coupler ends 5| of the group shown at the left of Fig. 8 has been advanced to make a new call on the feelers 38 of those couplers, but the new call has not yet been transmitted to those couplers; i. e., those coupler ends are still in the positions given them in response to the preceding call of that pattern. The needle-and-jack cylinder rotating continuously in the direction of the arrow II of that figure, all the jacks of the lot Ili -I5 have been acted on by this group of coupler ends 5| at the left of Fig. 8; accordingly the preceding pattern call has been transmitted to all the jacks and needles of the lot |5 -|5 the engagement of butts 30 of those jacks allocated to coupler ends of this group that have been placed close to the cylinder by the preceding pattern call has thrust those jacks to the back of their slots, thereby placing the butts I9 of such jacks back of the needle-raising cam I6 at the left of Fig. 8, and all the other jacks have been allowed to remain in their outer positions with their butts I9 in position to pass over that cam I6. Obviously all of the jacks of the lot might have been thus thrust to the back of their slots if the pattern had so called, or all might have been left in their outer positions. The rotation of the cylinder causes the butts I9 of those jacks that are left in their outer positions, to pass over cam I6 at the left of the figureand thereby raise their needles to take yarn (with or without the aid of the cam 20 as before explained) as will be apparent; the remainder pass back of the same cam I6 at their lower position and hence fail to raise their respective needles 2 at this feed; incidentally, in the posi-' tion of the parts shown, some of the lot |5 -|5 have already .passed over or by this cam IS. The preceding pattern call for this feed having thus been transmitted to all the stitch-forming elements of the jack lot |5 |5 and the adjacent jack lot |5|5 not yet having reached the same group of coupler ends 5| (or to the location of these coupler ends with respect to the control butts 30), those couplers .49 of this group that were projected in accordance with the preceding pattern call, are now (with their ends 5|) returned to their outer positions (e. g., by reciprocation of the ram 55), and immediately all the couplers 49 of the group (and thereby their ends 5|) are repositioned in accordance with the new pattern call (e. g., by the reciprocation of the ram 43 of the respective pattern mechanism, this acting on the couplers through those feelers 38 that have found no perforations in the pattern below their fingers). If locking mechanisms for the couplers are provided, of course they are unlocked just before any of these couplers are returned to their outer positions (as by swinging locking bars 58 to their unlocked positions), and they are locked again immediately after the couplers are repositioned in accordance with the new pattern call (as byv returning the locking bars 58 of the group to locking positions). This repositioning of the coupler ends 5| of the group at the left of Fig. 8 in accordance with the new pattern call, has taken place before the first jack of the jack lot |5'=--|5 reaches the place of its respective coupler end of this group. Accordingly as the continued rotation of the needle and jack cylinder passes the jack lot |5|5 over this group of coupler ends, the jacks I5 of this lot |5-|5 are acted on in accordance with the new pattern call, some probably (as directed by the new pattern call) being thrust to the backs of these slots and others being allowed to remain in their outer positions where they will pass over the raising cam I6 at the left of Fig. 8 and raise their needles (or cause them to be raised) to take yarn at this feed. Further, while the new pattern call is thus being transmitted to the lot |5"|5 the feelers 38 that fell when the new call was made by the pattern element 36, are raised to withdraw their fingers 39 from their perforations in the pattern (e. g. by the swinging of their cross bar 66), the pattern or pattern element 36 is advanced a step to bring the next pattern call below the row of feeler fingers 39, and the row of feeler fingers 39 again is permitted to feel the pattern and accordingly their feelers 38 positioned in accordance with this next call. This completes the cycle of operations; when the lot IS -I5 leaves this group of coupler ends 5|, these coupler ends are repositioned again (responsive to such next pattern call, and for the needle lot beginning with I5 which follows |5--|5 as described above. As jacks and needles pass a cam l6, they are lowered by the cams 22 and 2|, and the lower ends of the jacks are thrust out, for example, by the inclines 25 as described. It will be observed of course that a new pattern call and a corresponding repositioning of this group of feeler ends 5| may be made (and is made in the machine illustrated) for each pass of a differentiated lot of the rotary cylinder over this group of coupler ends, and also that each pattern mechanism or patern mechanism section and coupler group of the machine may act sim-.

aacasea nature of whichiisunimportantis provided-for each feedof the. machine'whereat the. action of a bank of stitch-forming elements is to be controlled; the' (and each) group is mounted in a fixed position as it were, that is to say, it does not. rotate with the bank of controlled stitch forming elements but acts on the elements of the bank as these respectively pass theposition of the group. The stitch-forming elements are differentiated among themselves in lots-in such a way that each differentiated element (ordifferentiated set of, say, a few adjacent elements) is subjected to the control of, say, one particular coupler end of the group (and each of the groups); preferably the differentiation of each lot is like the differentiation of every other lot, thisrendering the preparation of the controlling patterns more convenient. A pattern mechanism is provided, the calls of the patternof which couplers.(with their ends) transmit to the stitch-forming elements; the. arrangement accordingly is suchthat a pattern mechanism of the kind which is adapted to be directed by a patternv of paper or. other sheet-like material, and one having its patternecalls (e. g. and preferably perforations) arranged in rows transversely, can be used, and preferably one of the various possible forms of pattern mechanisms of this kind is used; preferably there is such a pattern mechanism for each feed whereat the action is to. be. controlled, and each group of coupler ends is related to and therefore subject to. the call of one pattern mechanism orpattern mechanism section. serving the respective group alone. Suitable-,means or mechanism (the nature of which is unimportant) is provided to advance the (each) pattern of the pattern mechanism to make a new call, and also to actuate the couplers of the (each) group responsiveto a new pattern call, for, say, each passage of each differentiated. lot of stitch-forming. elements across the respective coupler group. While'the coupler ends, so-called,.are so disposed that, for any row of pattern calls, the first of a (each) lot of differentiated elements can be acted on by a coupler end before the last element of the same lot is acted on by a. coupler end of the same group, intervalsareprovided during which nov coupler of a group is capable of acting, and during these intervals the couplers. of the respective group are actuated to transmit the successive calls of the pattern to the region of the stitch-forming element bank, that-isto say, the group is prepared to act on an oncoming stitchforming'element lot as directed by a new pattern call; preferably these-intervals are provided by so locating the couplers that the group transmits each pattern call to the stitch-formingelement bank at a rate higher than the rate at which the respective feed can "actuate stitchforming elements in their stitching movements. Preferably also the pattern feelers are so disposed that they can be withdrawn from the patternandthe (each) pattern is advanced, while the related couplers are acting on the stitchforming element bank, i. e. are transmitting the prior call of thepattern to the bank.

As indicated, and as will'be apparent to those skilled in thisart, the various parts. and 111.6011! anisms of my invention as specificallyv shown in the accompanying drawings are. subject to con-. siderable modification in form and" structure;

for example, various, other forms, of pattern. mechanisms, coupler bodies and coupler ends,'

and mechanisms for operating the parts, and various arrangements for differentiating stitch.- formingelements; for: more or less individual operation and controlby devices outside their bank, are, already known and others are. readily devisable, and may be substituted for the particular forms of these devices employed in the machine illustrated. It will be understood also'that, generally. speaking, there may be as many lots of differentiated stitch-forming elements as desired,,and only so many of a bank of stitchforming elements may be differentiated for control by the, pattern and couplersas may be sufficient or deemed necessary in. any instanc e,,the remainder being allowed to operate in the same manner at say'every passof: every feed, and also that the omission of differentiation from some of the elements may lengthen or even provide the interval for coupler operation WhichI have provided; by the peculiar illustrated arrangement ofthe coupler ends 5| with respect to the control butts 30. Generally speaking too, theremay be as many feeds on the machine as the diameter. of: the machine permits, orless. than this, and 'alsoas before indicated, the reference here.- into the allocation of a feeler finger to each coupler includes. allocation of a feeler. finger to individual sets-.of a few adjacent couplers. In general, my-invention is not limited to the details thatare necessarily referred to above and shown inv the accompanying drawings, except as. appears hereafter in the claims.

Iclaim:

1. In a. knitting machine, a circular bank of stitch-forming. elements, a pattern mechanism, a lot of members rotatable around the axis of said. bank to control the action of said stitch-formingelements, and agroup. of coupler members to control the action. of said lot of controlling members, said 101: of members rotating. with respect. to said. pattern mechanism and group of-coupler members and said coupler members; acting on' the members of said lot to transmit thepattern calls thereto as the rotation of the lot carries the. lot past the group, the coupler members and the members of said lot being so located with respect to each other that the first member of said lot arrives at the position of the coupler member serving it before the last member of said lot arrives at the position of the coupler member serving such last lot member and the coupler members can act on the members of the lot at a rate higher than the rate at which said stitch-forming elements act in forming stitches.

2.'In.a knitting machine, a bank of members including stitch-forming elements, pattern mech:

anism including a pattern advanceable to make new calls, a plurality offeeds eachof which include means to actuate said stitch-forming elements in the formation of'sitches and a groupof' coupler members to control the actuation of the stitch-forming elements by said stitch-formingelement-actuating means in accordance with'the' bank past said means and coupler members, substantially successive members of the rotary bank being differentiatable among themselves by lots, the number of difierentiatable members in each lot substantially corresponding to the number of coupler members in each group of the latter and the members of each lot being diiferentiatable among themselves for substantially individual control by substantially individual coupler members of each coupler member group, and the coupler members being so located with respect to the differentiatable members that the first of a lot of differentiatable members arrives at the position of the coupler member allocated to it beforethe last member of the same lot arrives at the position of the coupler member allocated to such last member, and means to actuate coupler members of each feed, responsive to new pattern calls, substantially as many times in each rotation of said bank as there are lots of differentiatable members in the rotary bank.

3. In a knitting machine, a bank of members including stitch-forming elements, means adapted to actuate said stitch-forming elements substantially successively in the formation of stitches, a pattern mechanism including a pattern element having pattern-calling agencies and movable to make new calls, a group of coupler members to control the actuation of stitch-forming elements by said means in accordance with the calls of said pattern element, said bank rotating with respect to said actuating means, pattern mechanism and group of coupler members and the coupler members acting on members of the rotary bank to transmit the pattern calls thereto as the rotation of the bank carries the members of the bank past the group, a lot of substantially successive members of the bank being differentiated among themselves for substantially individual control by substantially individul coupler members of the group, another lot of substantially successive members of the bank also being differentiated among themselves for substantially individual control by substantially individual coupler members of the same group, and said coupler members being so located with respect to the difierentiated members of the rotating bank that the first member of a lot of differentiated members arrives at the position of the coupler members serving it before the last differentiated member of the same lot arrives at the position of the coupler member serving such last differentiated member and the said coupler members can act on the differentiated members at a rate higher than the rate at which said stitchforming-element-actuating means can actuate said stitch-forming elements whereby intervals are provided during which none of said coupler members are active on differentiated members of the rotating bank, and means to actuate coupler members of the group, responsive to new pattern calls, during such intervals.

4. The subject-matter of claim 3, characterized by the fact that said pattern element, in advancing to make new calls, brings to active position the new calls for a plurality of said coupler members substantially simultaneously.

5. The subject matter of claim 3, a plurality of feeler fingers being provided to coact with the pattern element, each of the feeler fingers being allocated to substantially a single coupler memberand said fingers being arranged in a row to coact with the pattern element substantially simultaneously.

6. The subject matter of claim 3, characterized by the fact that the members of the first-meritioned lot of members of the rotating bank, are difierentiated from each other successively in substantially the same manner as the members of the second mentioned lot are differentiated from each other successively, whereby corresponding members of both lots are controllable by, respectively, the same coupler members.

7. The subject matter of claim 3, the patterncalling agencies of the pattern element being perforations, characterized by the fact that a plurality of fingers, allocated to the coupler members, are provided to pass through the perforations of the pattern element, the fingers being withdrawn from the perforations of a call before the group of coupler members completes the transmission of the respective call to members of the bank, and said pattern-advancing means advances the pattern element to make a new call while the group of coupler members is transmitting the prior call to such members.

8. The subject matter of claim 3, the patterncalling agencies of the pattern element being perforations, characterized by the fact that a plurality of fingers, allocated to the coupler members, are provided to pass through the pattern perforations of the pattern element, means are provided to withdraw said fingers from the perforations while the group of coupler members is acting on members of the rotating bank, and said pattern-advancing means advances the pattern element to make new calls while the group of coupler members is acting on members of the rotating bank.

9. The subject matter of claim 3, characterized by the fact that said coupler members are arranged in a plurality of assemblies, each assembly being more or less parallel to the differentiated members of the bank and the assembly containing the coupler member which acts on the first differentiated member of each lot being placed closer to said stitch-forming-element-actuating means than the assembly which contains the coupler member which acts on the last differentiated member of each lot.

10. In a knitting machine, a bank of members including stitch-forming elements, a cam to actuate said stitch forming elements to form stitches, a pattern mechanism including a pattern element perforated in accordance with the stitch-forming-element-actuation desired at said cam, the perforations thereof being arranged substantially in rows extending substantially transversely of the pattern element, a group of coupler members responsive to the calls of perforations of the pattern element and individually movable to and from positions whereat the coupler members are engageable by the butts on members of the rotary bank hereafter mentioned, said bank rotating with respect to said cam, pattern mechanism and coupler members and the ends of said coupler members engageable by said butts being assembled together in advance of said cam, a lot of substantially successive members of the rotary bank being provided with butts differently located on the said members for engagement with substantially individual coupler members, another lot of substantially successive members of the rotary bank also being provided with butts differently located on the latter members for engagement with substantially individual coupler members of the same group, said members of both lots being di-splaceable by the engagement of their butts with the coupler members to control the actuation of the respectivelycorresponding stitch-forming elements by said cam, and said coupler members being so located with respect to the members of such lots that the butt of the first member of a lot is engageable by the coupler member before the butt of the last member of the same lot is engageable by a coupler member and the said coupler members can engage the butts of said members of the bank at a rate higher than the rate at which said cam can actuate the stitch-forming elements whereby intervals are provided during which none of said coupler members are engageable with said butts, and means to advance said pattern element to make a new call, and also to move coupler members of the group to establish placement of the coupler members with respect to said butts responsive to such new call, for each passage of coupler members individually movable to and y from positions whereat the coupler members are engageable by the butts on members of the ratary bank hereafter mentioned and the ends of said coupler members engageable by the said butts being assembled together in advance of said cam, a lot of substantially successive members of the rotary bank being provided with butts differently located on the said members for engagement with substantially individual coupler members, another lot of substantially successive members of the rotary bank also being provided with butts difierently located on the latter members for engagement with substantially individual coupler members of the same group, said members of both lots being displaceable by the engagement of their butts with the coupler members to control the actuation of the respectively-corresponding stitch-forming elements by said stationary cam, and said coupler members being so located with respect to the members of such lots that such butt of the first member of a lot of the latter members arrive at the'position of the coupler member engageable with it before the butt of the last member of the same lot arrives at the position of the coupler member with which the lastmentioned butt is engageable andthe said coupler members can engage the butts of said members of the rotating bank at a rate higher than the rate at which said cam can actuate said stitch-forming elements whereby intervals are provided during which none of said coupler members are engageable by said butts, a group of feeler fingers, allocated to the coupler members, to pass into the perforations of the pattern element and thus differentiate the coupler members among themselves, means to move the coupler members to establish the placement of the coupler members with respect to said butts, said coupler-member-moving means moving coupler members difierentiated from the others by some of said fingers entering perforations in the pattern element and acting on each pass of each of said lots of members across the group of coupler members and moving said coupler members during said intervals, and means to withdraw feeler fingers from said perforations and advance the pattern element to make new calls, the last named means acting on each pass of each of said lots of members across the group of coupler members and acting while the coupler members are acting on butts of the members of the rotating bank.

J. STANLEY PRESTON. 

